


Sing us a song tonight

by Omnivorous_Reader



Category: The Boys (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Hughie has powers Au, Mentions of canonical violence, Superhero Hughie Campbell, What-If, occurs right after season two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27140083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omnivorous_Reader/pseuds/Omnivorous_Reader
Summary: “Hughie, that Compound V stuff, is there a way to check for it in someone?” His dad asked, voice shaky.“Dad, what do you mean? It’s pretty obvious if you’ve been juiced up on that stuff.” Hughie chuckled nervously, not understanding what his dad was talking about.“Are you sure?” His dad stressed. “Because I’m not sure, but I think your mom signed you up for something like it. When you were a baby, I mean.”“Dad, I…” Hughie was speechless. “Dad, I don’t have any powers. I’m not a supe.”
Relationships: Hughie Campbell/Starlight | Annie January (implied)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 108





	Sing us a song tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic for The Boys fandom, so I hope you guys enjoy! I just finished season 2 of The Boys and I loved it so much, that I just had to write it up!
> 
> And then the dialogue between Hughie and his dad hit me and I knew that I needed to write this. I've read a few stories about an Au where Hughie has powers, and they made me think about what kind of power Hughie would have and how it wouldn't have shown up until really late in his life

Hughie Campbell was the most normal human being you could find on the planet. Other than his quick thinking and dry wit, there was nothing special about him. He knew this and had accepted it a long time ago. 

Even after he met Billy Butcher and was pulled into the crazy world of superhero killing, he knew he was still the most normal person in The Boys. 

He didn’t have the ruthless streak that Butcher had; he didn’t have the ingeniousness of Frenchie; he didn’t have the skills MM had; and he most certainly didn’t have the powers Kimiko had. All Hughie had to offer the team was some knowledge on technology and his new found ability to lie his ass off. 

So, when Hughie and the others are cleared of their crimes and welcomed back into society, no longer on the run from any supes or the authorities, Hughie tries to find a normal job. Mallory had offered to hook him up with a job with either the CIA or FBI, but he had refused, saying he wanted a calm life now. 

And so, that’s how Hughie found himself in Victoria Neuman’s office, asking for a job. 

“When can you start?” She asked him, giving him a smile full of promise. 

“Right away,” he said immediately, a bit embarrassed by his obvious enthusiasm. However, Victoria simply smiled wider at that and started to go into the details of the job she was offering him. 

Later, Hughie walked out of her office with a job and a promise of doing something great. He was on cloud nine and wanted to celebrate, but before he could call up Annie and tell her the good news, his phone began to ring. 

“Dad!” Hughie exclaimed. He swore that if he smiled anymore, he’d pull a muscle, but he couldn’t help himself. Things were finally looking up. “I got the job! I’m going to be Victoria Neuman’s personal assistant!”

“That’s amazing, Hughie!” His father congratulated him, sounding excited for the first time in years. “I knew you could do it! Who knew my son would be working for a congresswoman some day!”

“I know!” Hughie laughed. “After all that shit with the Seven, I thought I’d never get another job again.”

“Congrats, Hughie.” His father said sincerely. “But, I called to ask you something.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Well, you know how Vought was the one who made superheroes, with that compound?”

“Compound V? Yeah, what about it?”

“Hughie, that Compound V stuff, is there a way to check for it in someone?” His dad asked, voice shaky.

“Dad, what do you mean? It’s pretty obvious if you’ve been juiced up on that stuff.” Hughie chuckled nervously, not understanding what his dad was talking about.

“Are you sure?” His dad stressed. “Because I’m not sure, but I think your mom signed you up for something like it. When you were a baby, I mean.”

“Dad, I…” Hughie was speechless. “Dad, I don’t have any powers. I’m not a supe.”

“I know, son. But…” he trailed off, and let out a loud sigh. “I just, I don’t know. When your mom and I brought you home from the hospital, your mom mentioned something about some kind of medicine she wanted you on.”

“It could have been anything.” Hughie offered. 

“I know, but she never told me.” His father sighed. “I was still fighting with my job to let me take some time off for paternity leave. I remember your mom taking you to the hospital a lot during that time. And when I saw the news talking about Vought and Compound V, I just thought. Well.”

Hughie stood in the middle of the sidewalk, not even noticing all the people having to walk around his still body. 

None of what his dad was talking about made any sense. 

There was no way he was given Compound V as a baby. He would have noticed if he had powers. Right?

“Dad, I-I don’t think it was Compound V. We would have noticed if I was punching holes in the walls or something.” Hughie let out a weak chuckle. 

“You’re probably right.” His father admitted. “After everything that’s happened, well, I’m sure you can excuse a poor father’s worry.”

“No, it’s fine, dad.” Hughie reassured him. 

“Sorry for bringing this up, Hughie. Congrats on the jobs.”

“Thanks, dad. I’ll tell you more about it when I get home.”

“I can’t wait, son. I love you.”

“Love you too, dad.” Hughie smiled to himself and hung up. But, even as he stared down at his phone, his mind was running at full speed. Shaking his head, he muttered: “It can’t be possible.”

There was no way that Hughie had gotten Compound V as a baby. Absolutely, one hundred percent, impossible. 

If he had, he wouldn’t be the perfectly normal person he knew himself to be. 

If he had powers, he would have done something to stop A-Train from running through Robin. He would have done something against Homelander when he had nearly drowned him. He would have fried Stormfront’s ass himself if he had powers. 

So, there was no possible way that Hughie Campbell had powers. 

Right?

Even as Hughie started walking down the street again, he couldn’t help but keep wondering if his mother had given him up to Vought. She wouldn’t, he was sure of it. 

But, did he know?

He remembered very little about his mom, only their dance parties and the way she could make anything seem like an adventure. And of course, he could remember, to the exact detail, the day she left. She had given him a watery smile and told him:

“Hughie, you were meant to do great things. I tried to make sure of it.”

Hughie had never thought of it before, but now he had to wonder what she meant. He had always assumed that he had failed her by never doing anything better than spending his days watching tv with his dad, and then working a minimum wage job after community college. 

Now, he wasn’t sure what to think.

Deep in thought, he didn’t notice his feet taking him to the park where he had first met Annie. It wasn’t until he felt the sun being blocked out did he realize that he was under a canopy of trees. Squinting up at the sunlight streaming through the leaves, Hughie had to wonder why he had come here. 

Sighing, he started walking again, and noticed that there didn’t seem to be many people in the park that day. Not giving it a second thought, he kept walking until he found an empty bench and sat down. 

Slouching down and letting his head fall back, Hughie started to wonder again. 

Was it possible that he had powers? Wouldn’t they have shown up by now? Or was it such a stupid power that Hughie and everyone else hadn’t even realized he had it?

“Well, I haven’t been talking to any fish, so I guess I’m safe.” He joked to himself. 

He wished he had powers. Then, he could have actually helped all those people he had to watch die. He would have saved Popclaw’s landlord; he would have saved the men Kimiko had killed; and he would have tried to save Agent Raynor and many others that had died senseless deaths. 

Unlike certain superheroes, he would have actually used his powers for good and not just to get money, or fame, or anything else those greedy bastards wanted to get their hands on. 

No, Hughie would have tried to do some good, just like Starlight. 

“I would make a horrible superhero,” he said aloud, defeat obvious in his voice. 

He just didn’t have the spine to do what Starlight and any other real hero did on a daily basis. 

Letting out a sigh, Hughie pushed himself to his feet and started walking. Trying to clear his mind, he brought out his earbuds and brought up “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. 

There was no way he was given Compound V as a baby, or that he would ever have superpowers. 

Humming along to the song, Hughie didn’t notice the streetlights above him start to flicker in time to the beat of the song. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think and if I should continue! I have plenty of ideas for what Hughie's power could be, and how it could work perfectly in canon


End file.
